The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-08-27
ccsesseea fer TAs ArAmasmsr xNaeessr, SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY,

] SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY Y, X Berlin electrician, A. Sicmcns, finds that the injury to the tropical plants in the CEar's Winter Palace, at St, Petcrsburg, was result of cold and neglect, and not, as reported, of l the influence of the electric lights,
 An International Exhibition oi Sci ence and industry viii bc opcuci in Brussels next May. Premiums of the value $loo,oo win be awarded, and $2oo,0o0 worth of articles will be bought for prizes In a government 1 lottery.
 It Is a curious fact that rats select ivory for the best billiard balls. The rats gnaw elephants tusks which have the most gelatine, and as such ivory Is tho most elastic, the rat-gnawel spec imcns arc especially chosen by the makers of fine balls,
 Tho Royal Scientific Society of Cp- sala finds that, In Sweden, summer clouds arc most common al heights ot 2,So0 and 5,a00 feet. During the sum- mers of 1884 and 1885 the highest cloud observed was li,0oo feet, or nearly eight miles, above the @rth's surface.
 Variations In the diameter ot tho sun have been pointed out by Qui,ea nnm- ber of astronomers. The data on which such conclusion is based havc been thoroughly investigated ny Professor Auwers, who finds the supposed changes la have been only apparent, and Il result of temperature effect on the instrument ar difference in the suns tclescopio appearance at ditlctrnt scasons.
 A CURATIVE SrnArlvE,--The sub stitutlon of antipyrin for morphine In the tIcatment of pain Is advo- cated by Professor Germain See, the eminent French pathologist. The nd- vantages claimed are that antipyrln gives rise neither to vertigo nor vom- ithg that 1t does not produce somno- lence nor an abnormal craving for the drug; and that it adds curative action to it's palm -dcadening effect
 I'm SrKAM ENGINE IN METEoRoLo- oY.-An English observer rccom- mends the locomotive as n cheap hy- grometer for farmers and others living near railroads. When tho escaping steam remains long suspended, the air is near It's point of aturation with moisture; but when the steam quickly disappears. as If swallowed up, tho weather k dry. and there Is little prospect of rain. "On "a warm sun- mcr day" writes this author, "l have seen passenger train ascending fl IgrHdient utltcr full pressure without giving the least sign of It's motion, or allowing the least tracc ot steam io escape. Al other times the cloud of steam was ten ar twelve feet In length, in certain cases II was ns long as the train itself and in very damp weather 1t extended way beyond the rear of the train"
 FIsuEs OF CENTRAL AMERICA .-- From list by Prof. David <. Jordan, Ii appears that the marine fishes of the Pacific coast of Mexico and Ceii- tral America, from the Tropic of Cam ccr to Panama, comprise i07 known species, of which seycnty-one species are also found on the Atlantic coast. About 800 species are now known from the Caribbean sea and adjacent shores. This gives about six per cent. of the whole number known as com mon to the two coasts. Such per- centage Is no gr6ater than the simi- larity of physical conditions on the two sides of the continent would lead us to expect, and gives no support to the view, based by Dr. Gunther upon an assumption of H much larger pro- portion of common species, that the isihnus of Panama was submerged at a comparatively recent date.
 A NEw PUZZLE IN Scigscg.---O suspending a small cylinder of ivory over Il table by fibre of cocoon silk and bringing second cylinder within about twenty fifth of an inch of it, the first cylinder immediately begins to rotate. The discoyerer, N. Thorc, regards this IA demonstrating the ex- istence of an unknown force in the human organism, as he believes that the rotation is independent of the na- tnre of the cylinders, and that light, heat, electricity, magnetism, gravity and air-currcnts are inadequate to ex- plain 1t. The alleged new force has been investigated, however, by Mr. Wm. Crookes, who, while admitting his inability to explain all the phe. nomena exhibited. considers that the motion k simply due 10 the Sadiations of heat from the observers body, and finds that bottle of hot water will rutafc inc cylinder utlife As well.